ApproveThis manages your Zeplin Integration approvals.

When Designers and Approvers Finally Speak the Same Language

Let's be real – design approvals are where good ideas go to die in Slack threads. Zeplin keeps your UI projects organized, but when feedback needs legal sign-off or budget approval? That's when PDFs get emailed to "Brian-from-Finance" who still uses Comic Sans in replies. ApproveThis fixes that handoff without making your creatives jump through ERP hoops.

Here's the deal: Connect Zeplin to ApproveThis via Zapier, and suddenly:

• New screens in Zeplin auto-create approval tasks with context
• Stakeholders approve via email without logging into yet another tool
• Approved designs auto-update Zeplin projects with audit trails

We're talking about cutting 3-day email chains into 3-click approvals. For teams shipping features weekly, that's the difference between "we're agile" and actually being agile.

Why This Isn't Just Another Integration

Most approval tools treat design reviews like expense reports. ApproveThis gets that creative projects need flexibility:

For Design Teams

Trigger approvals when Zeplin screens hit specific versions. Use calculated fields to auto-approve minor changes (like color tweaks) but escalate major layout shifts. Design leads sleep better knowing junior devs can't approve radical redesigns without CTO eyes-on.

For Client-Facing Agencies

Clients approve mocks directly from their inbox – no guest logins. If they're on vacation? Vacation delegation shifts approvals to their deputy. Bonus: All feedback lives in Zeplin comments and ApproveThis records. No more "But the client said..." debates.

For In-House Legal

New screen includes user data fields? Set approval thresholds to auto-flag any design containing "SSN" or "credit card" patterns. Legal gets pinged only when necessary, designers don't get blocked on standard elements.

Real Workflows That Don't Suck

1. Killing "Forgot to Approve" Syndrome

Scenario: Your dev team built a screen that wasn't approved because the PM missed a Zeplin note.

Fix: Zapier triggers an ApproveThis request when any Zeplin note gets a ❓ emoji reaction. Legal/PM/Design leads get a single email with:

• Direct link to the Zeplin screen
• Pre-filled compliance checklist
• Deadline based on the project's launch date

Approvers click "Approve" or request changes – all without leaving Gmail. Denied? The task auto-reassigns with priority tags.

2. Client Approvals That Don't Haunt Your Nights

Scenario: Clients "forget" which design version they approved, leading to post-launch rework.

Fix: When a Zeplin project reaches "Client Review" status:

1. ApproveThis pings external clients via email with a branded portal link
2. Clients review interactive prototypes + leave feedback
3. Upon approval, Zeplin automatically locks the screen version

No more screenshots in legal docs. The audit trail shows exactly who approved what – and when.

Setting This Up Without an IT Degree

If you can order DoorDash, you can connect Zeplin to ApproveThis:

1. Zapier Account: Free tier works
2. Pick Your Trigger: New Zeplin note? Screen? Project status change?
3. Map Key Fields: Link Zeplin project IDs to ApproveThis templates
4. Test with a Dummy Request: Approve a fake "CEO Mustache Design" to check alerts

Pro Tip: Use ApproveThis' conditional logic to auto-approve minor changes under $500 budget impact. Saves 20+ approval tasks/month for most teams.

Why Your CFO Will High-Five You

ApproveThis doesn't just make designers happy:

Finance Teams

Attach budget codes to approval workflows. When a Zeplin project includes "new feature" tags, ApproveThis auto-checks remaining Q4 budget. Over limit? Escalate to VPs before devs write a single line of code.

Compliance Officers

Every approved screen version gets a digital certificate. During audits, filter Zeplin projects by approval status and download reports with one click. GDPR/CCPA teams especially love this.

Project Managers

Real-time dashboards show which screens are stuck in review. Instead of chasing Brian-from-Finance, reassign approvals after 24hrs of silence. Project timelines stay on track without daily standups.

The Cool Features Everyone Steals

Email Approvals (That Don’t Look Like 1998)

Approvers get mobile-friendly emails with:

• Live previews of Zeplin screens
• One-click approve/deny buttons
• Comments that sync back to Zeplin as notes

Even non-tech execs figure this out. No training needed.

Approval Chains That Don’t Break

If your lead designer is OOO, vacation delegation automatically shifts their approvals to the deputy. No more "Waiting on Anna" statuses for two weeks.

Who Actually Uses This Combo?

SaaS Startups

Auto-approve UI changes for free tier users, but require CEO sign-off on enterprise dashboard edits. Cuts approval layers without risking brand consistency.

E-commerce Brands

New product page designs get simultaneous legal (copy) and creative (layout) approvals. Launch holiday campaigns 3x faster.

Agencies

Share designs externally without clients messing up Zeplin files. All feedback and approvals happen in controlled channels.

Common “Yeah, But…” Moments

“We Use Figma/Sketch Too”

So? Zeplin’s already your source of truth for handoffs. ApproveThis layers on the process control without changing where designers work.

“Our Legal Team Hates New Tools”

They’ll only see approval emails – no logins. Plus, auto-archiving to your existing DMS? Easy setup.

How to Not Screw This Up

Common pitfalls we’ve seen:

• Don’t: Auto-approve every Zeplin change. Set $$ thresholds.
• Do: Tag screens with “priority” levels in Zeplin to adjust approval urgency.
• Don’t: Let clients approve without NDA checks. ApproveThis can verify signers first.

Ready to Stop Herding Approval Cats?

If your design team’s better at creating mocks than chasing sign-offs, this integration’s your leash. ApproveThis works where your team already lives – email, Zeplin, Slack – no extra logins required.

Get started free or book a 12-minute demo to see how fast approvals can actually happen.

P.S. If you’re still emailing screenshots for approvals, we have a support group for that.